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Cox's Cowhead Show Facing Lawsuit Over Doctored Picture

4-30-13

Can your DJ's be held responsible for pictures they post on your station website? How many times have they Googled a photo and posted it or sent it in an e-mail? What happens if that photo is altered and changes its entire context? A Nashville family claims that's exactly what Mike "Cowhead" Calta did to their son, who has Downs Syndrome, and they have filed a lawsuit. Cowhead works at WPHT in Tampa. A picture of 17-year-old Adam Holland was posted to the Cowhead show website under the heading, "Retarded News." The Holland family is asking for $6 million in the lawsuit.

The original photo of Holland (seen below) was taken in 2004. In it, he is smiling and holding up a drawing that includes the words "Go Titans." The Hollands say the altered image has caused them "severe mental anguish and emotional distress," and "humiliation, fear and embarrassment." They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

While Cox did not comment to the Miami Herald about the lawsuit, the attorney for the Holland family says he has an e-mail from WHPT Program Director Michael Sharkey saying the "Retarded News" segment "is designed to highlight odd stories that are seemingly always in the news. These stories are NOT about disabled individuals. However, in our investigation, we noted the picture that he was using did denote a person with Down Syndrome. We have removed that picture from our page and we are removing any reference to handicapped or disabled individuals." Sharkey apologized for "any grief this might have caused."